Military Operations Support
Military operations that support cooperation and competition in the competition continuum include cooperative and coercive naval diplomacy. Cooperative naval diplomacy refers to non-threatening actions like forward naval presence, or major naval deployments, naval exercises, and port visits, all of which help to influence international outlooks and establish alliances without actual conflict taking place. Coercive naval diplomacy refers to the use or threat of use of some force to compel adversaries to change their policies; these too can come by way of operational deployments, or naval demonstrations????, but the demonstration conveys threat (Vego, 2016).
Naval forces contribute across the competition continuum by way of their unique capabilities, i.e., their mobility and ability to project power globally, which makes them important tools in peacetime and powerful weapons in war. In cooperative roles, naval forces support foreign policy by maintaining a forward presence, or by showing off ones naval strength through port visits. These activities promote the idea of strength, stability, which can reassure allies?? or deter aggression (Hone, n.d.).
In competitive or coercive roles, naval forces can execute operations designed to influence adversaries' behavior through shows of power, i.e., shows of force, such as the deployment of powerful naval groups or conducting high-profile exercises near adversaries. These actions signal resolve and the ability to act, and can deter hostile actions or coerce compliance with specific demands. The ability of naval forces to operate independently is vital and they must be able to show that they can remain on station for extended periods, or respond rapidly to situations, as this makes them a powerful tool in managing competition across the spectrum????.
Thus, insofar as they can span the spectrum of cooperative and competitive strategies, naval forces shape the strategic environment, and can support diplomatic initiatives, and make sure national interests are protected across the competition continuum.
References
Hone, T. (n.d.). Understanding and using the work of Milan Vego.
Vego, M. (2016). Naval support of foreign policy. US Naval War College.
